Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

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Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

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Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

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Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

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Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

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Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

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Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

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Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

Preparations are underway at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. for a 2012 presidential town hall debate.

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Finally, working women’s issues — equal pay and Planned Parenthood

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Finally some discussions in the presidential debates on working women’s issues — equal pay for equal work and funding for Planned Parenthood.

The question from the audience handed Obama the chance to talk about the Lily Ledbetter Act, his first legislation in office, which was considered a landmark for workplace discrimination issues.
“I’m going to continue to push on this issue for the next four years,” he said.

Mitt Romney called it “an important topic,” and touted his own efforts “to go out and find women who had backgrounds” that would qualify them to staff his cabinet.

He focused on the economy’s impacts on women in the workplace, saying that the best thing that the next president can do is to create a “strong economy” that gives them jobs.

Obama noted that Romney’s answer on whether he’d support the Ledbetter bill was “I’ll get back to you.”
But he never mentioned VP running mate Paul Ryan voted against the bill.

Still, he noted the Romney-Ryan opposition to funding for Planned Parenthood, which he said is a “pocketbook issue” for millions of women who rely on the organization for both general health care and reproductive health care.

Romney’s general comeback: government shouldn’t be in the business of regulating private businesses and what they must offer regarding reproductive health care.

Speaking of women, Andrea Mitchell of MSNBC tweets that there was an “audible gasp” among the audience members at the Hofstra Debate after Mitt Romney cut off the President with “you’ll get your chance.”